Display container



Dec 27, 1 938. A. s. ETHRIDGE DISPLAY- CONTATNEIR Filed June 4, 1936 2Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

, ATTORNEY DecQZ'Z, 1938. A. s. ETHRIDGE 2 1 I DISPLAY CONTAINER 2ShetsSheet 2 Filed June 4, 1936 ATTORNEY.

; I v HINVENTOR. eaxjw Patented Dec. 27, 1938 UNITED STATES TENT DISPLAYCONTAINER.

Application June 4, 1936, Serial No. 83,512

4 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in display containers.

Heretoiore, it has been common practice to construct shipping containersof fiber or corrugated board or the like in such a way that access tothe interior is eifected by opening top or end closure flaps or byopening a shallow hinged cover, or by removing a telescoping cover. Thepresent invention, on the other hand, contemplates a container which isadapted to be opened in an entirely different way so that the openedreceptacle is particularly adapted for display purposes.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide animproved container openable along a division line which extends aroundthree side walls to form two hinged-together sections. The said divisionline may be at any point between the top and bottom of the container asthe nature of the contents or desire of the user may require. Both ofthe sections of the container are adapted to contain merchandise so thatwhen the container is open one section may serve as a base for adisplay, with merchandise therein, and the other section may besupported in an angular position with respect to the section forming thebase, there also being merchandise in said other section.

A further object of the invention is to provide a container as abovedescribed wherein one of the sections is positionable horizontally on acounter or other supporting surface, and wherein an easel or likesupporting means is provided for maintaining the other section in anangular display position with respect thereto, both of said sections, incertain forms of the invention, being adapted to contain a substantiallyequal quantity of merchandise so that after the mechandise in one of thesections has been dispensed, the two sections can be interchanged inposition and merchandise dispensed from the other section.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide novel means forretaining the merchandise in place in the upper section while saidsection is being opened, and, if desired, while it is in displayposition.

A further specific object of the invention is to provide a container asabove described wherein said retaining means is removable after thedisplay is set up to form a separate advertising poster having means forsupporting itself in upright position. A

A further object of the invention is to provide a container whereinparts of said merchandising retaining means serve as flanges toguide-the sections into closing position with respect to one another andalso serve to strengthen and brace the ends of the box during shipment.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a container asabove described which may 5 have an easel cut from one wall and foldableoutwardly therefrom to support one of the sections in an angular displayposition with respect to the other section.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of theimproved display container and all its parts and combinations as setforth in the claims and all equivalents thereof.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating several of the preferredembodiments of the invention in which the same reference numeralsdesignate the same parts in all of the views:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one of the improved display containersin closed shipping condition; 20

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of said container in open display position;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the container in display position;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing how the merchandise retaining meansmay be removed to serve as a separate advertising poster;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the easel alone in flat shipping condition;

Fig. 6 is a perspective View of the easel in supporting condition;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing a modified form of container indisplay position;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of one of the end stiffening and guiding membersremoved;

Fig. 9 is a perspective View of still another form of container in opendisplay position;

Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken on line iil-lt of Fig. 9; and

Fig. 11 is a rear view of the container of Fig. 9 in closed condition.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, first to Figs. 1 to 3inclusive, the improved container may be formed from a single sheet offiber board, card board, corrugated board, or the like which has beendie out and assembled to provide an upper section l5 and a lower sectionit, the said sections being hingedly connected on a line of fold llwhich extends longitudinally of the rear 50 wall intermediate itsheight. Thus two box-like sections are provided which are each adaptedto contain merchandise. In the forms of container illustrated, bothsections are of substantially equal capacity. This, however, is notessential 5 5 as one section may be of such size that it contains moremerchandise than the other.

The container illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 inelusive is well adapted forshipment and display of bars of soap as shown, the lower section [6being filled with those bars 58 and the upper section I being filledwith loose bars l9. When loose merchandise is thus being carried it isnecessary to provide a retaining means for the merchandise in the uppersection so that said section can be opened and closed without losing itscontents. By referring to Figs. 2 and 4 it may be seen that theretaining means may comprise a panel 20 having lateral extensions 2|connected to the lower portions of recesses 22 in end stiffening orbracing members 23. The containers are packed with merchandise whileboth sections are in'alined horizontal position. Then the bracingmembers 23 are inserted adjacent opposite ends of one of the containersections and pushed inwardly until the retaining panel 28 engages themerchandise as shown in Fig, 2. A strip of gumrned tape 24 may then besecured over the panel 28 with the ends 25 of the tape passing throughthe recesses 22 so that said ends can be secured to the end walls of thecontainer as illustrated. It will thus be seen that the merchandise inone section is firmly held in position and that each of the stiffeningmembers 23 has flanges 2t projecting outwardly,

which flanges serve to guide the section into closing position withrespect to the other section, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig.1, and additionally serve to brace the ends of the container duringshipment and reinforce the container along the division line between thetwo sections. When the container has been closed to the position of Fig.1, it may be sealed by the use of a strip of gummed tape 2? applied overthe meeting edges in the'manner illustrated.

Each of the containers is packed with an easel 28 therein, which easelis originally infiat condition as shown in Fig. 5.- The easel consistsof foldably connected walls 29, 35, BI and 32, and the walls 36 and 32have their upper. edges formed with V-shaped recesses 33. In additionthe wall 29 is somewhat lower than the wall 3i.

When one of the improved containers is received by the retailer he canquickly convert it into an attractive merchandise display. It is firstnecessary to slit the tape 2i in order to open the box. Next the easel,which is in the condition shown in Fig, 5, is removed and opened out tothe position of Fig. 6. The wall 29 of the easel is then placed againstthe rear walloi one of the sections of the box, and the other section ofthe box is opened outto the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3 to fit intothe recesses 33 of the easel. Thus one of the sections serves as a base,and the other section is firmly heldin an angular display position. Theretaining panel 23 may bear advertising material as illustrated, and ifdesired this panel can be left in position in the box. 'When this isdone mer chandise issold from the base section. If the two sections ofthe container are of equal size and capacity, then, after the basesection has been emptied the position of the container may be reversedso that the other section serves as a base. In other words where thesize of the sections is the same the easel is capable of supportingeither section in angular position with respect to the other. As beforementioned, however, it isnot essential that the sections be of e ualsize, and when they are of unequal size no reversal of position ispossible, and the merchandise may be dispensed from both the basesection and the section which is supported at an angle. If desired,after the container is opened to the display position shown in Figs. 2and 3, the retaining panel 20 may be removed from'the box and set up asa separate advertising poster in the manner shown in Fig. 4. Whensoused, it is apparent that the end stiffening'members 23 serve as easelsto support the poster in upright position.

Referring to Figs. 7 and 8 it will be seen that this type of containeris admirably suited for the shipment of cracker or cooky boxes, each ofthe sections of the container beingoi a size and shape to snugly receivetwo or more individual cracker or cooky boxes 34. In view of the fact,that these individual boxes 35 are of relatively large size, the use ofthe retaining panel 26 is unnecessary. However separate stifieningmembers 23 similar in shape to the stifiening members 23 are used. Thesestiifening members are provided with upper edge recesses 22 and withoutwardly projecting flanges 26' which serve to guide the upper sectioninto closing position with respect'to the lower section, andthey alsoserve to stiffen and brace the ends of the container during shipment.When packing the box shown in Fig. 7, it is merely necessary to affix astrip of tape 26 over the'boxes in the upper section, as illustrated,the ends of the tape passing through the recesses 22'. A similar easelto that shown in Figs. 5 and 6 may be employed for supporting either ofthe sections E5 or l5 in angular display position,

As a iurther modification of the invention, the common rear wall 35 ofthe container may be formed with vertical slits 3S and with a line offold 3'? extending transversely between the slits, which line of fold isoffset from the hinge connection-of the box sections, (see Figs. 9, 1Dand 11). To open this containerit is necessary to slit the gummed tapealong the division line of the sections and also to slit the tapetransverselyalong the lines 33 so that the easel forming parts 39 andl?! can be pulled rearwardly in the manner indicated in Fig. 9. Thisintegrally formed easel, due to the position of the line of fold 3?,serves to support'the upper section in an angular display position asshown in Figs. 9 and 10. The container illustrated is shaped to receiveand display elongated boxes ll such as macaroni, spaghetti or noodleboxes. Retaining and end stiffening and guiding means of the type showneither in Figs. 2 or '7 may be used in connection with the container ofFig. 9.

From the above it is apparent that a unique type of container has beenprovided, which'container comprises two sections, each adapted tocontain merchandise, hinged together along a line of fold on a commonrear wall, the sections 7 having meeting edges in abutting relationshipon a'division line extending around three other walls of the containerbetween the top and bottom thereof, the construction being such that oneof the sections can be supported in an angular display position withrespect to the other, with merchandise in each section; It is alsoapparent that in certain forms of the invention, due to the particularconstruction of the container wherein each section is of substantiallyequal capacity, that either section may be supported in angular positionwith'respect to the other. Thus an attractive display device isfurnished which permits the display and dispensing of merchandise fromboth sections of the container.

Although only a few forms of the container have been shown anddescribed, various other changes and modifications may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention, and all of such changes arecontemplated as may come within the scope of the claims.

What I claim is:

1. A display container of fiber or corrugated board or the likecomprising upper and lower hinged-together sections, each adapted tocontain merchandise, removable stiffening members positioned adjacentthe inner surfaces of opposite ends of one of said sections and havingportions projecting outwardly therefrom, said flanges being adapted toguide said section into closing position with respect to the othersection, and means connected to said stiffening members below the endsof the projecting portions thereof and extending across the container ina position to contact the top of merchandise in the section to maintainsaid merchandise in position during opening of the section.

2. A display container of fiber or corrugated board or the likecomprising upper and lower hinged-together sections, each adapted tocontain merchandise, removable stiifening members positioned adjacentopposite ends of the upper section and having recessed flangesprojecting outwardly therefrom, said flanges being adapted to guide saidsection into closing position with respect to the other section, andmeans connected to the bottoms of the recesses of said flanges forretaining merchandise in position during opening of the upper section,the bottoms of said recesses being flush with the top of the merchandisein the section.

3. A display container of fiber or corrugated board or the likecomprising upper and lower hinged-together sections, each adapted tocontain merchandise, removable stifiening members positioned adjacentopposite ends of the upper section and having recessed flangesprojecting outwardly therefrom, said flanges being adapted to guide saidsection into closing position with respect to the other section, and apanel connecting said flanges at the lower portions of the recesses forretaining merchandise in position during opening of said upper section.

4. A display container of fiber or corrugated board or the likecomprisingupper and lower hinged-together sections, each adapted tocontain merchandise, removable stiffening members positioned adjacentopposite ends of the upper section and having recessed flangesprojecting outwardly therefrom, said flanges being adapted to guide saidsection into closingvposition with respect to the other section, and apanel connecting said flanges at the lower portions of the recesses forretaining merchandise in position during opening of said upper section,said panel being removable for use as a separate display card after thecontainer is opened, and the end stiffening members serving as easels tosupport said removed panel in upright position.

ALBERT S. ETI-IRIDGE.

